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Top 10 OSHA Violations In 2018

Posted by Ted LiggettNovember 14, 2018

Employee concerns about health and/or safety hazards at work can generally be put to rest by knowing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) exists. With that being said, workplace accidents can and do happen and unfortunately OSHA violations are often a part of these occurrences. For an idea on just how frequently these instances occur, let’s take a look at the top 10 OSHA violations for 2018.

According to Business Insurance, OSHA recently announced its top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety violations for this respective year. Fall protection was named as the top violation, with over 7,000 citations. The top violations include the following:

Fall protection: 7,270 violations – OSHA has numerous fall protection requirements, including utilizing guardrails and toe-boards, keeping all surfaces free of liquids, and notifying workers of any present dangers. Violating any one of these general requirements can result in a citation.

Scaffolding: 3,336 violations – Scaffolding is incredibly dangerous for workers. The wood used in scaffolding must meet certain standards to prevent collapse, and the scaffolding itself must meet certain engineering standards.

Respiratory protection: 3,118 violations – There are numerous substances that can cause respiratory injuries when inhaled. Workers dealing with chemicals or small airborne particles must be supplied with respiratory protection.

Lockout: 2,944 violations – All employers must put practices and procedures in place to safeguard employees from the unexpected start up of a piece of machinery or equipment and/or the sudden release of hazardous energy during service or maintenance.

Ladders: 2,812 violations – Ladders are an obvious danger, but OSHA still issues many ladder citations each year. These citations can include surpassing a ladder’s maximum weight load, not properly supporting a ladder, and not keeping a minimum required distance away from individuals using the ladder.

Powered industrial trucks: 2,294 violations – Industrial trucks or forklifts cause thousands of on-the-job injuries each year. Workers need special permits to operate these vehicles and must always exercise caution when operating them near other workers.

Fall protections: 1,982 violations – Employers are responsible for providing all necessary training to workers, including training on what safety precautions workers need to take to prevent falls.

Machine guarding: 1,972 violations – All machinery and equipment must have guards to protect workers from being snagged, caught, pinched, or entangled in the machinery.

Eye and face protection: 1,536 violations – Eye and face protection must be provided whenever necessary to protect against chemical, environmental, radiological, or mechanical irritants and hazards. Most of the violations for failing to provide eye and face protection come from the housing industry, with roofers, house framers, and contractors being cited frequently. Many of these violations also fall within the realm of the construction industry as well.

Lubbock Workplace Accident Attorneys

While many industries carry the potential for workplace accidents, all workers are entitled to a reasonably safe workplace. If a company, supervisor, or third party contributes to the risk faced by workers, they may be liable for any resulting injuries. Workers may believe their injuries are covered by Texas workers’ compensation, but the reality is Texas law may leave workers paying medical costs out of pocket.

If you or a loved one is injured on the job, you need experienced lawyers on your side that have thorough knowledge of state and federal laws and regulations governing workplaces. Contact Liggett Law Group today to schedule a free, confidential consultation with an experienced Lubbock workplace accident attorney.